Hamilton's current contract will expire at the end of the year and his future has been a source of constant speculation this season. He recently said that he intends to come to a decision over the summer break, but with Mark Webber staying at Red Bull for another year and a move to Ferrari unlikely, his options appear to be limited.

He added: "I think people get the wrong impression. When I last looked at the contract I was paying him, so it's a question of whether we employ him and not the other way around. If things pan out the way I expect them to I'm pretty sure he'll be sitting in a McLaren next year."

Dennis is also optimistic McLaren has the pace to win this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix.

"I think the fact that we nearly won the last grand prix says what our performance is really like."

The International Rugby Board (IRB) have stripped Australia of the right to host a round of the World Sevens Series, scheduled for Brisbane on 16-17 February, after the Australian government's refusal to provide visas for the squad from Fiji